Pétain, Philippe

(1856-1951)

   military and political figure

   A hero of World War I who was later condemned as a traitor for having led the pro-German regime at vichy, Philippe Pétain was born in Cauchy-à-la-Tour and educated at saint-cyr and the École supérieure de Guerre in Paris. Named general in August 1914, he took part in the Battles of the Marne (September 1914), at Artois (May 1915), and at Champagne (September 1915) before being called to defend verdun (February 1916). Pétain's greatest victory was at verdun, where the French retained the fortresses against great German odds during World War I. In 1917, he also issued the brutal order condemning to death a large number of mutineers in the French ranks. After Chemin des Dames, he replaced General georges nivelle as commander in chief and was subordinate only to Marshal Ferdinand foch. Pétain was made a marshal of France in November 1918 and, after the war, held various high-command positions, including command in the Rif war in North Africa (1925). In 1934, he became minister of war and, in 1939, ambassador to Spain. In May 1940, during World War II, he was recalled by paul reynaud to serve as vice president of the Council of Ministers. At that point, Pétain already considered the war to be lost, and thus opposed Reynaud's plan to continue the struggle in the colonies. Becoming president of the Council of Ministers at Bordeaux in June 1940, Pétain ordered an armistice. on July 1, he set up a government at vichy and, on July 10, was given full powers by the National Assembly there, which declared him head of the French state. Pétain attempted, with his prime minister pierre laval, to maintain a French nation within a Europe dominated by Nazi Germany. But their fascist-oriented government became notorious for its collaboration with Hitler, whom Pétain met through the arrangement of Laval, at Montoire in October 1940. The vichy regime ruled only with Germany's approval, appointing all government officials, controlling the press, and making arbitrary arrests. The government also passed anti-Semitic laws and rounded up many Jews and others who were deported to German concentration camps. After the Allies landed in France in 1944, Pétain went to Germany, then Switzerland. He returned to France after the war to stand trial for treason. In August 1945, he was found guilty and condemned to death by the High Court, but the sentence was commuted to life imprisonment. He was moved to the Île d'Yeu off the coast of Brittany, where he died.